Tri-State business celebrates 100 years

A Tri-State business that opened in 1917 celebrates its 100th birthday.

“Our family is serving your family."

That's the motto of Lewis Brothers Funeral Chapel in Palmyra.

"My grandfather and his brother came back from World War I and bought a little existing undertaking establishment and livery business. They didn't buy the livery part, just the funeral home part of it and so they started in 1917 August of that year and so here we are 100 years later," said Dave Lewis, co-owner of Lewis Brothers Funeral Chapel.

From horses to hearses along with advances in science and technology, you can guess a lot has changed in the last ten decades.

So how exactly does a funeral home that's been around for a century make itself stand out?

Lewis says that answer lies in personalization.

"There's always a first time for everything so let's figure out how to make it happen. We've had fishing poles set up. We had a dairy farmer here passed away about a year and a half ago so we brought in milk cans and stuff like that from the farm to really make it a personal experience," Lewis said.

To the Lewis family, it's all about celebrating who the person was and what their interests were when they were alive.

So when a family begins making funeral arrangements:

"We try to take it a step above what they're thinking and do things that they're not expecting," said Lewis.

The Lewis Brothers Funeral Chapel will host a 100-year celebration on August 22nd at the funeral home.

The event will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 424 South Main Street.